W@W WRAP – Week 338

Rejoice in the Lord always!

Read:

Act:

Let us be determined this week to shout for joy to the Lord and worship Him with gladness! We are His creation and the sheep of His pasture. Let us give thanks to our Lord for His goodness, faithfulness and loving-kindness that endure forever. (Psalm 100)

As we rejoice in our Lord, may we remember to:

Find our hope in Jesus, remembering where we came from. In Titus 3:3-5 (ESV) we read, “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—When God our Saviour revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” What a wonderful reminder of Jesus’ ultimate surrender and sacrifice. May that propel us, by the mercies of God, to live sacrificial, holy lives that are pleasing to God. This is truly the way to rejoice and worship Him! (Romans 12:1)

Live in obedience to God’s standards and His call upon our lives, rather than conforming and competing according to worldly expectations. Let us seek God for His specific plan, purpose and will for us so that our lives may be a representation of Matthew 5:16 (AMP): “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honour and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Let’s continue to work diligently on the tasks that God has assigned us, knowing He will equip and lead us in all we do. This entails living in such a way that our love is expressed through sacrifice and servanthood. May we always be others-focused. May we make the most of every opportunity, every day, to live holy and godly lives – as we love, honour and glorify our Lord! (Ephesians 5:16-17 and 1 John 2:5-6)

Give thanks for God’s kindness that leads to repentance, restoration, transformation, hope and blessing – in our lives and the lives of those around us. God’s kind hand is extended to us through the redemptive work of Christ. May we rejoice, knowing that our mighty Saviour, Jesus, calms us with His joy, love and presence. He is the One who gives us hope. May we pray that: “Our amazing Father God of abundant hope will fill us up with joy, with His everlasting peace, so that our believing lives, filled with life-giving energy from the Holy Spirit will brim over with hope and thanksgiving towards our Lord – now and forever!” (Romans 15:13 – Paraphrased)

May we always remember that this is the day the Lord has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Pray:

Lord, I pray that You will help us to lead sacrificial lives in surrender to You. We want to honour You for the beautiful, ultimate sacrifice that You made. You showed us that in surrender and sacrifice, there is hope and victory.

Father God, search our hearts and affirm Your good work in us, regardless of what others might think or say. You alone are the God of the universe and all the earth. All we want to do is live lives that glorify You. Thank You for Your love and Your saving grace. May our work always be a response to that and reflect Your Holy name. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Father – full of grace and mercy – I come before You and I want us to read Your word on a deeper level to understand what You have called us to do. You are coming soon, so Lord, may we cry out to be more like You, in all we do. May we feed Your sheep, and may we shepherd them with Your Holy Word. Go before us today. In Jesus’ name.

Father, thank You for Your kindness. It means so much more than we can understand or comprehend. Thank You that You do not come to us in condemnation concerning our sin and shame, but You come to us in kindness. May we respond and extend kindness to a broken world that is in need of Christ.

Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your peace. Thank You for Your joy and the truth that one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. I pray that we will experience Your fruits of the Spirit and Your joy, every day and every moment. I thank You for blessing every one of us anew with fresh oil to go on. As that scripture says, ‘When Your words were found, I ate them and Your words became to me joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name.’ Thank You that we are called by Your name. Thank You for Your Word which brings joy and is a delight to us. We give You praise for who You are. We love You and thank You for this day and for Your joy. In the name of Yeshua our Messiah. Amen, Amen, Amen.